Crawling
by tomboy14
Summary: slight Shikaino This fear consumed him, crawling in his skin. He had to find her before it controlled him completely.


**AN: Beware, it's not a happy fic of mine. But it's a killer fic nonetheless. No pun intended on the word killer.**

**Dedication: All who reviewed my oneshot "Bleed It Out," aka my best story ever. I recommend you read it if you haven't already, especially if you turn out to like this one.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or "Crawling," but I do own this random idea.**

--X--x--X--x--

_Crawling in my skin  
These wounds they will not heal  
Fear is how I fall  
Confusing what is real _

He felt fear consuming him, dropping his 200 alternate plans to 1: retreat. All rationality left, all he could think was to get out of here. But he was rooted to this spot, watching as all his subordinates fell to the enemy.

This was only his second failed mission, and his first with comrades dying. He'd known it was coming, his near perfect success rate had to be marred with defeat eventually. Shikamaru just didn't know it would be like this.

_There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface  
Consuming, confusing  
This lack of self-control I fear is never-ending  
Controlling, I can't seem..._

He was called a genius, a prodigy now. Just a Nara clan heir, another kid born into a ninja family was all they thought of him at a young age. Until he made genin and Asuma saw something special in him. If it weren't for that IQ test and everyone's faith in him, he'd never be here right now. Sometimes he damned his genius, now he just wanted it back. Wanted it back to save the others.

Until now there was seemingly no weakness, no breaking point to his genius. Except for women, but that was a different story.

Shikamaru always knew his weakness, no one else but him holding this secret. But now the cat was out of the bag. The enemy knew, and it wouldn't be long before the world knew of his weakness: fear. It confused him, consumed him, corroded him from the inside out until natural instincts took over. Genius was but an illusion, one Shikamaru had been able to hide within well.

_To find myself again  
My walls are closing in  
I've felt this way before  
So insecure..._

He took off from his still position, leaping over dead bodies with wide eyes and open mouths that displayed their final emotions. Anbu masks littered the ground, broken into irreparable pieces. Shikamaru pulled his own off, clutching it in his hand so he could see better. He had to find her, his final rational thought told him. If he lost her…no. He wouldn't think of that situation.

His foot met a root, causing him to lurch forward and catch himself on a nearby tree. He sighed in relief, but the sigh caught in his throat. Not two feet in front of his was the seemingly unconscious form of _her_.

_Crawling in my skin  
These wounds they will not heal  
Fear is how I fall  
Confusing what is real_

The Anbu mask fell to the ground.

"Ino!" He screamed, falling to his knees to pull her lifeless form onto his lap. The form stirred slightly, just enough for Shikamaru to see.

_Discomfort endlessly has pulled itself upon me _

Although no medic nin, he knew the very basics all ninja knew. He checked her vitals, finding that her lungs had collapsed. She wouldn't make it if he didn't get her to a hospital stat. But she was alive. And her fate rested in his hands.

_Destructing, reacting  
Against my will I stand beside my own reflection  
It's haunting, how I can't seem...  
_

He heard a crash from behind him, sensing the enemy closing in.

_To find myself again  
My walls are closing in  
I've felt this way before  
So insecure..._

Shikamaru scooped Ino into his arms, standing upright and jumping into the partial safety of the trees. He had to make it out alive, or atleast get Ino out of this alive. Running on pure adrenaline and chakra reserves he didn't even know he had, he flew through the trees towards the nearest village: the Sand. They would help him, he was sure of it.

_Crawling in my skin  
These wounds they will not heal  
Fear is how I fall  
Confusing what is real  
_

But Shikamaru couldn't help this fear crawling in his skin as he drew nearer the village and Ino's heartbeat slowing.

Somehow he wasn't so sure anymore.

_There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface  
Consuming...  
This lack of self-control I fear is never-ending  
Controlling..._

But he continued going on. Not now would his fear make him fall, losing Ino and himself.

It crawled in his skin nonetheless, and not even the reassuring sight of the Sand's gates and Temari's shocked face could stop this. Not until he heard Ino's scolding, her boisterous laughter, would it stop…temporarily.

_Confusing what is real_

--X--x--X--x--

**AN: I decided to leave it open ended. You know how I did that Sasuke-centric angst trip a while ago? Well, this is Shikamaru's. I had so much fun with it. I listened to Linkin Park the whole time I was writing it, which was only about an hour. Well, I hope you liked it and please review!**


End file.
